Header connectors for supplying external electrical power to a motor such as a servo motor are well-known, with the header connector engaging a receptacle connector that is connected to cable, and power being supplied to the motor accordingly.
A push-twist style locking mechanism has generally been used to secure the header connector and the receptacle connector. One well-known example of a lock and release device for connectors employing the push-twist style locking mechanism is described in Japanese Patent Application JP2003-208945A, for example.
As shown in JP2003-208945A, a cam groove is formed along an outer circumferential surface of a header housing of a header connector. A receptacle connecter includes a receptacle housing that engages with the header housing and a coupling rotating member that surrounds the receptacle housing so as to be rotatable with respect to the receptacle housing. Further, a coil spring is wound on the receptacle housing. One end of the coil spring is fixed to an outer circumferential portion of the receptacle housing, and the other end of the coil spring is fixed to an inner circumferential portion of the coupling rotating member.
In addition, when the receptacle connector is engaged with the header connector, a protrusion provided on an internal circumferential surface at one end surface side of the coupling rotating member enters the cam groove on the header connector side. Then, due to the biasing coil spring, the protrusion on the receptacle connector side is locked with the cam groove on the header connector, thereby locking the two connectors so that they do not come apart.
To separate the receptacle connector from the header connector, it is sufficient to rotate the coupling rotating member against the biasing force of the coil spring to pull the protrusion on the receptacle connector side out of the cam groove on the header connector side.
In summary, the locking of the receptacle connector to the header connector can be easily performed by simply pressing the protrusion on the coupling rotating member into the cam groove on the header connector side. Moreover, to release the lock, it is sufficient to simply rotate the coupling rotating member against the biasing force of the coil spring. Thus, the operation to release the lock can be easily performed.
However, in the lock and release device of the connector described in JP2003-208945A of the related art had the following problems.
Specifically, with the lock and release device of the connector described in JP2003-208945A, the cam groove is formed in the header housing. However, it is necessary to provide a coil spring that has a length in the engagement direction on the receptacle connector side. Hence, the lock and release device of the known connector has a problem in that it was not possible to shorten the engagement direction height of the two connectors.